How to Find a Upin Number

The Unique Physician Identification Number, or UPIN, is a reference number used by Medicaid and Medicare to identify physicians, as well as some nurse practitioners and other health care professionals, for billing purposes. Medicare stopped using the UPIN in 2007, and replaced it with the National Provider Identifier, or NPI. The UPIN directory is still available from the Center for Medicaid & Medicare Services, or CMS. You can also search for a practitioner's UPIN using online search tools.

Instructions

• 1

  Lookup a physician's UPIN online with the eCare UPIN Lookup tool (see Resources). Enter the last name and first name of the physician in the corresponding fields. Select the physician's state, and enter his zip code, if known. Hit the "Process Request" button and all physician's matching the query will be listed. Each physician's UPIN will be listed next to his name.

• 2

  Find a physician's UPIN by searching the Unique Physician Identification Number directory (see Reference). This directory, on CD-ROM, is provided by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and will cost $100 (as of 2010). To order, download the order sheet provided on the CMS page. On the form, enter your debit or credit card information for payment. Email the completed form to: [email protected].

• 3

  Find a physician's UPIN using the HMEData's UPIN search tool (see Resources). This tool works similar to the eCare tool. Enter the last, first name and select the physician's state. Hit the search option. The UPIN will be listed next to each physician's name and specialty code. HMEData also has a NPI search tool. This tool is useful if searching for physician information for practitioner's that received their identification number after 2007.